Land Rover Defender 130 Lemon Law

Yes, a persistent third-row seat power-fold mechanism failure substantially impairs the use and value of the Defender 130, which is specifically designed and marketed as a three-row vehicle. Under the Song-Beverly Act, if the dealer has been unable to permanently repair the seat mechanism after a reasonable number of attempts, you may be entitled to a refund or replacement. The defect does not need to be safety-related to qualify.

Yes, and the secondary damage from the water intrusion actually strengthens your claim. Under the Song-Beverly Act, a defect that causes cascading failures demonstrates that the vehicle's condition substantially impairs both its use and safety. The manufacturer is responsible for all warranty repairs necessitated by the original defect, including corroded wiring harnesses and damaged electronic modules caused by the leak.

Under the Song-Beverly Act, if your Defender 130 has been out of service for warranty repairs for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days, a rebuttable presumption arises that the vehicle is a lemon. This 30-day threshold includes all warranty-related shop time, not just repairs for a single defect. Days spent waiting for parts while the vehicle is at the dealer count toward this total as well.

Yes, as long as you were towing within the manufacturer's published specifications and the defect is covered by the factory warranty. Land Rover rates the Defender 130 for towing, so engine or transmission defects that arise during normal towing use are warranty-covered conditions. The manufacturer cannot deny a lemon law claim simply because the vehicle was used for its intended towing purpose within the rated capacity.